The well-known story of “Pinocchio,” the wooden puppet who becomes a real boy, is back in a new incarnation. The US premier of the four-hour made-for-TV production starring Bob Hoskins as Geppetto and Robbie Kay as Pinocchio is set for Sunday, December 14th on Ion, under its movie deal with RHI Entertainment.
Set among the beautiful vistas of 19(th) Century Tuscany, Pinocchio is the tale of a young boy brought into the world by magic and utterly unprepared for what his new life throws at him. On this voyage of self-discovery, Pinocchio invites danger at every turn, much to the heartbreak of Geppetto, the father who created him from wood. Pinocchio’s misadventures find him hunted by villains, whisked away to the temptations of the Land of Toys, transformed into a donkey, placed center stage at a traveling circus and swallowed by a giant shark. Plagued by shame, regret and the ever-present possibility of further corruption, Pinocchio’s only chance at redemption and happiness is to find his way back to Geppetto.
“Pinocchio is quite simply one of the greatest stories ever told and is emblematic of the kind of programming in which RHI excels,” said Robert Halmi Jr., President and CEO of RHI Entertainment. “This beautiful and heart-rending adaptation of this timeless fairy tale will delight and move audiences of all ages. It is truly Pinocchio the way it was meant to be told.”
Pinocchio was filmed entirely on location in Rome and Tuscany. The film is directed by Alberto Sironi and is based on the fairy tale classic by Carlo Collodi. RHI’s Robert Halmi Jr. served as an executive producer on the project.
Ion also announced that is has inked a deal with Aro Entertainment to acquire two originally produced holiday-themed films. “Christmas Town,” starring Nicole de Boer and Patrick Muldoon, will air December 11th and “The Christmas Clause,” starring Lea Thompson, will premiere on Ion Television on December 18th.
